Details
The monument includes a bowl barrow, known as Leather Barrow, which is located on Withiel Hill on the western side of the Brendon Hills, a broad ridge which dominates the eastern region of Exmoor. The barrow is formed by an earth and stone mound 3.3m in height with a diameter of 23m. In keeping with other bowl barrows in the region, the mound is surrounded by a ditch from which material was quarried for the construction of the mound and, although it is no longer visible at ground level, the ditch will survive as a buried feature up to 2.5m wide. The origin of the barrow's name is not clear although it is recorded on the Ordnance Survey 1st edition 1-inch map of 1809 as Leather Barrow, it may have been known as Withel Barrow prior to that date according to an earlier source. It is situated at the junction of three boundary banks which form the remains of a field system of possible post-medieval date and may have been used as a point of alignment during the construction of the banks. The boundary which extends southwards from the junction forms part of the Luxborough and Treborough parish boundary. All fencing and fence posts are included in the scheduling, although the ground beneath these features is included.
Selected Sources
Book Reference - Title: National Monument Record - Type: DESC TEXT - Description: SS 93 NE 8
Article Reference - Author: Grinsell, L V - Title: Somerset Barrows - Date: 1969 - Journal Title: Proceedings Somerset Archaeology & Natural History Society - Volume: 113 - Page References: 35 - Type: DESC TEXT - Description: Luxborough No 4